1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a link for an anti-sway bar and more particularly to a convertible link for an anti-sway bar.
2. State of the Art
An anti-sway bar is usually a torsion spring that resists body roll motions. As seen in FIG. 1, an anti-sway bar 50 is typically constructed out of a cylindrical steel bar in a U-shape. The anti-sway bar to the left and right side suspensions 54. If the left and right wheels move together, the bar 50 rotates about its mounting points. If the wheels move relative to each other, the bar 50 is subjected to torsional forces. Each end of the bar 50 is connected to a link 52 through a flexible joint. The sway bar link 52 may connect to a lower control arm 56 of suspension 54, transferring forces from a heavily-loaded axle to the opposite side.
Anti-sway bars provide two main functions. The first function is the reduction of body lean and to tune the handling balance of a vehicle. There are certain vehicles that seek to have the benefits of an anti-sway bar during some times and then the benefit of independent suspension at other times. However, these conventional anti-sway bars to not include a mechanism for easy converting between the function of an anti-sway bar and the function of independent suspension.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improvement in the field of anti-sway bars.